1979 Super Bowl of Poker
Encyclopedia
The Super Bowl of Poker was the second most prestigious poker tournament in the world during the 1980s. While the World Series of Poker
was already drawing larger crowds as more and more amateurs sought it out, the SBOP "was an affair limited almost exclusively to pros and hard-core amateurs."
Prior to 1979, the only high dollar tournament a person could enter was the WSOP. 1972 WSOP Main Event Champion and outspoken ambassador for poker Amarillo Slim
saw this as an opportunity. "The World Series of Poker was so successful that everybody wanted more than one tournament," he said. Slim called upon his connections and friendships with poker's elite to start a new tournament in the February 1979. Before the SBOP had developed a reputation of its own, many of the most respected names in poker attended the tournament "more to support Slim and take advantage of the very fat cash games the event would obviously inspire." Slim modelled his SBOP after the WSOP with several events and a $10,000 Texas Hold'em Main Event.
One of the principal differences between the WSOP and the SBOP was the prize structure. The WSOP's prize structure was flat ensuring more people received smaller pieces of the prize pool. The SBOP typically used a 60-30-10 payout structure. In other words, only the first three places received money and generally in the ratio of 60% to first place, 30% to second place, and 10% to third. This payment schedule predominated the SBOP for the first 5 years of the event, but as the event grew the number of payouts increased while keeping the payout schedule top heavy.
r Johnny Moss
succeeded in making it to the cash 4 times. Doyle Brunson
, another Hall of Famer, finished in second place in the $1,000 Ace to five Lowball event. 2003 Poker Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Baldwin
won the $5,000 Seven card Stud event.
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
was already drawing larger crowds as more and more amateurs sought it out, the SBOP "was an affair limited almost exclusively to pros and hard-core amateurs."
Prior to 1979, the only high dollar tournament a person could enter was the WSOP. 1972 WSOP Main Event Champion and outspoken ambassador for poker Amarillo Slim
Amarillo Slim
Thomas Austin Preston, Jr. , known as Amarillo Slim, is an American professional gambler known for his poker skills and proposition bets...
saw this as an opportunity. "The World Series of Poker was so successful that everybody wanted more than one tournament," he said. Slim called upon his connections and friendships with poker's elite to start a new tournament in the February 1979. Before the SBOP had developed a reputation of its own, many of the most respected names in poker attended the tournament "more to support Slim and take advantage of the very fat cash games the event would obviously inspire." Slim modelled his SBOP after the WSOP with several events and a $10,000 Texas Hold'em Main Event.
One of the principal differences between the WSOP and the SBOP was the prize structure. The WSOP's prize structure was flat ensuring more people received smaller pieces of the prize pool. The SBOP typically used a 60-30-10 payout structure. In other words, only the first three places received money and generally in the ratio of 60% to first place, 30% to second place, and 10% to third. This payment schedule predominated the SBOP for the first 5 years of the event, but as the event grew the number of payouts increased while keeping the payout schedule top heavy.
1979 Tournament
As one of the original participants in the WSOP, the 1979 tournament was built upon Amarillo Slim's popularity and reputation. Many of the biggest names showed up at the event. Despite the limited number of cash prizes offered at the SBOP, Poker Hall of FamePoker Hall of Fame
The Poker Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional poker playing in the United States. Founded and located in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was created in 1979 by Benny Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino, to preserve the names and legacies of the world's greatest poker players and to serve...
r Johnny Moss
Johnny Moss
Johnny Moss was a gambler and professional poker player. He was the first winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event, at the time a cash game event in which he was awarded the title by the vote of his peers in 1970, He also twice won the current tournament format of the WSOP Main Event in...
succeeded in making it to the cash 4 times. Doyle Brunson
Doyle Brunson
Doyle F. Brunson is an American professional poker player who has played professionally for over 50 years. He is the first two-time World Series of Poker main event champion to win consecutively, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, and the author of several books on poker.Brunson is the first player to...
, another Hall of Famer, finished in second place in the $1,000 Ace to five Lowball event. 2003 Poker Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Baldwin
Bobby Baldwin
Bobby Baldwin is a professional poker player, off-road racer and casino executive. As a poker player, Baldwin is best known as the 1978 world champion, becoming the youngest main event champion at that time....
won the $5,000 Seven card Stud event.
Key
| * | Elected to the Poker Hall of Fame Poker Hall of Fame The Poker Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional poker playing in the United States. Founded and located in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was created in 1979 by Benny Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino, to preserve the names and legacies of the world's greatest poker players and to serve... . |
| Place | The place in which people finish. |
| Name | The name of the player |
| Prize (US$) | Event prize prize money |
Event 1: $ 10,000 No Limit Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: 30
- Total prize pool: $300,000
- Number of payouts: 7
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | George Huber | $150,000 |
| 2nd | Robert Bone | $60,000 |
| 3rd | Charles Dunwoody | $30,000 |
| 4th | Junior Whited | $15,000 |
| 5th | Louis Hunsucker | $15,000 |
| 6th | George Malooly | $15,000 |
| 7th | Johnny Moss Johnny Moss Johnny Moss was a gambler and professional poker player. He was the first winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event, at the time a cash game event in which he was awarded the title by the vote of his peers in 1970, He also twice won the current tournament format of the WSOP Main Event in... * |
$15,000 |
Event 2: $ 10,000 No Limit Deuce-to-Seven Draw
- Number of buy-ins: Unknown
- Total prize pool: Unknown
- Number of payouts: 2
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Byron Wolford Byron Wolford Byron Wolford , also known as Cowboy Wolford, was an accomplished rodeo cowboy and professional poker player, who was the winner of a World Series of Poker bracelet in 1991 and runner-up of the 1984 WSOP Main Event.... |
Unknown |
| 2nd | Johnny Moss Johnny Moss Johnny Moss was a gambler and professional poker player. He was the first winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event, at the time a cash game event in which he was awarded the title by the vote of his peers in 1970, He also twice won the current tournament format of the WSOP Main Event in... * |
Unknown |
Event 3: $ 200 Ladies Seven Card Stud
- Number of buy-ins: 53
- Total prize pool: $10,600
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jane Drache | $6,460 |
| 2nd | Nell Kelly | $2,180 |
| 3rd | Jean Mattox | $1,060 |
Event 4: $ 1,000 Ace to five Lowball
- Number of buy-ins: 45
- Total prize pool: $45,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jack O'Diamonds | $27,000 |
| 2nd | Doyle Brunson Doyle Brunson Doyle F. Brunson is an American professional poker player who has played professionally for over 50 years. He is the first two-time World Series of Poker main event champion to win consecutively, a Poker Hall of Fame inductee, and the author of several books on poker.Brunson is the first player to... * |
$13,500 |
| 3rd | Clyde Hill | $4,500 |
Event 5: $ 1,000 Seven card Stud
- Number of buy-ins: 44
- Total prize pool: $44,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bruce Hershenson | $26,400 |
| 2nd | Dick James | $13,200 |
| 3rd | Lakewood Louie | $4,400 |
Event 6: $ 5,000 Seven card Stud
- Number of buy-ins: 11
- Total prize pool: $55,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bobby Baldwin Bobby Baldwin Bobby Baldwin is a professional poker player, off-road racer and casino executive. As a poker player, Baldwin is best known as the 1978 world champion, becoming the youngest main event champion at that time.... * |
$26,400 |
| 2nd | Eric Drache | $13,200 |
| 3rd | A Meyers | $4,400 |
Event 7: $ 1,000 Razz
- Number of buy-ins: 33
- Total prize pool: $33,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | David Sklansky David Sklansky -Life and career:Sklansky was born and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, where he graduated from Teaneck High School in 1966. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, but left before graduation. He returned to Teaneck and passed multiple Society of Actuaries exams by the time he was 20, and worked... |
$26,400 |
| 2nd | Gary Berland | $13,200 |
| 3rd | S Said | $4,400 |
Event 8: $ 5,000 Razz
- Number of buy-ins: 11
- Total prize pool: $55,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Doc Thomas | $33,000 |
| 2nd | Gary Berland | $16,500 |
| 3rd | S Said | $5,500 |
Event 9: $ 2,500 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo Split
- Number of buy-ins: 15
- Total prize pool: $37,500
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dan Robison | $22,500 |
| 2nd | Jess Jackson | $11,250 |
| 3rd | Gary Berland | $3,750 |
Event 9: $ 10,000 Deuce to Seven Lowball
- Number of buy-ins: 11
- Total prize pool: $55,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Byron Wolford Byron Wolford Byron Wolford , also known as Cowboy Wolford, was an accomplished rodeo cowboy and professional poker player, who was the winner of a World Series of Poker bracelet in 1991 and runner-up of the 1984 WSOP Main Event.... |
$78,000 |
| 2nd | Johnny Moss Johnny Moss Johnny Moss was a gambler and professional poker player. He was the first winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event, at the time a cash game event in which he was awarded the title by the vote of his peers in 1970, He also twice won the current tournament format of the WSOP Main Event in... * |
$37,000 |
| 3rd | Carl Rouss | $13,000 |
Event 10: $ 1,000 Hold'em
- Number of buy-ins: 130
- Total prize pool: $130,000
- Number of payouts: 3
- Reference:
| Place | Name | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | George Malooly | $78,000 |
| 2nd | Johnny Moss Johnny Moss Johnny Moss was a gambler and professional poker player. He was the first winner of the World Series of Poker Main Event, at the time a cash game event in which he was awarded the title by the vote of his peers in 1970, He also twice won the current tournament format of the WSOP Main Event in... * |
$37,000 |
| 3rd | Hal Thomas | $13,000 |